Tokens Studio for Figma
  • Getting Started
    • Tokens Studio Plugin for Figma
    • Install the Figma Plugin
    • Pro Licence for the Figma Plugin
    • Join the Slack Community
    • Feature Requests - Featurebase
    • Changelog - Featurebase
  • Design Token Fundamentals
    • Intro to Design Tokens
      • Token Anatomy - Type
      • Token Anatomy - Value
      • Token Anatomy - Description
      • Token Anatomy - Name
  • Token Management
    • Token Types
      • Asset
      • Boolean
      • Border - Composite
      • Box Shadow - Composite
      • Color
        • Modified Colors (pro)
        • Gradient Colors
      • Dimension
        • Border Radius
        • Border Width
        • Sizing
        • Spacing
      • Number
      • Opacity
      • Other
      • Text (string)
      • Typography - Composite
        • Font Family
        • Font Weight
        • Font Fallbacks
        • Font Size
        • Line Height
        • Letter Spacing
        • Paragraph Indent
        • Paragraph Spacing
        • Text Case
        • Text Decoration
      • Composition (legacy)
    • Token Values
      • Token Values with References
      • Using Math in Token Values
    • Token Names
      • Token Name Technical Specs
      • Token Groups
      • Edit Token Names
    • Token Description
    • Token Sets
      • JSON View
  • Themes management
    • Themes (pro)
    • Themes that switch
  • Working in Figma
    • Variables and Tokens Studio
    • Styles and Tokens Studio
    • Export to Figma Guide
      • Export Options
      • Export Using Themes (pro)
      • Export Using Token Sets
      • Variables Skipped on Export
      • Styles with Variable References
    • Import from Figma Guide
      • Import Styles from Figma
      • Import Variables from Figma
        • Connect Themes to Imported Variables
        • Imported Variable Types and Token Types
    • Non-local Variables and Styles (pro)
    • Remove Tokens from Figma elements
    • Dev Mode in Figma
  • Settings Management
    • Plugin Settings
    • Base Font Size Setting
    • Token Format - W3C DTCG vs Legacy
  • Token Storage and Sync Integrations
    • Local Document - Figma File Token Storage
      • Figma Data Limits
    • Remote Token Storage Integrations
      • GitHub - Git Sync Provider
      • GitLab - Git Sync Provider
      • Bitbucket - Git Sync Provider
      • Azure DevOps - Git Sync Provider
      • JSONBin - Cloud Sync Provider
      • Supernova - Cloud Sync Provider
      • Tokens Studio Platform - Cloud Sync Provider
      • URL - Server Sync Provider
      • Generic Versioned Storage - Server Sync Provider
    • Multi-file Sync to Remote Storage (pro)
    • Manage Sync Providers
      • Edit Sync Provider
      • Change Active Sync Provider
      • Remove Sync Provider
    • Sync Changes to Remote Storage - Push and Pull
    • Branch Switching (pro) - Version Control
  • Inspect and Debug Tokens
    • Inspect Tokens
    • Remap Tokens
  • Transform Tokens for Development
    • Style Dictionary + SD Transforms
    • Official docs for Style Dictionary
  • Style Dictionary Playground
  • Troubleshooting
    • Reset Tokens from Dev Console
    • Tokens Studio Status
  • Open Source
    • Contribute
    • Shared Plugin Data
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On this page
  • Spacing - Token Type
  • Design decisions
  • Possible values
  • Values that reference another Token
  • Multiple values
  • Apply Spacing Tokens
  • Transforming Tokens
  • Resources

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Last updated 4 months ago

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Spacing - Token Type

Spacing was one of the first Token Types we supported in the plugin.

Since then, a lot has changed.

The Design Tokens Community Group (DTCG) hosts a Token specification on the W3C community group pages for web standards. Although it's in draft form, the tools and technologies working with Design Tokens are trying to align with the W3C DTCG specification.

The W3C DTCG specification does not recognize Spacing as an and instead has defined Dimension Tokens as the preferred token for space-related design decisions.

If we want to fully align with the spec, it requires Tokens Studio to phase out the Spacing Token. However, we believe the choice should be yours!

If aligning with the W3C DTCG spec is important to your project, we suggest using Dimension Tokens instead.

There is no immediate plan to discontinue support of the Spacing Token Type.

Until we have a thoughtful solution to migrate between Token Types, we've included a custom transformation for this Token Type in the sd-transforms npm package .

If you love Spacing Tokens and want to make your voice heard, we've set up a forum in our feedback tool where you can leave your comments! Hopefully with enough support the DTCG may reconsider having Spacing as its own Token Type.

→


Design decisions

Spacing defines the distance between design elements.


Possible values

The Spacing Token supports numeric hard-coded values with or without a unit. You can also enter negative numeric values to achieve a 'stacked' appearance. You can also enter a string value of AUTO to support Figma's approach to space-between.

Hard-coded values

The syntax used to write values for Spacing Tokens is important.

  • Be sure to avoid any spaces between numbers and units of measurement.

  • Units are always written in lowercase.

For example:

1rem

Rem units (rem)

To support responsive design, you can define your Spacing Token in rem units, and the plugin automatically converts the value to the pixel equivalent when applying the Token in Figma.

For example, a Spacing Token with a value of 0.5rem will appear as a 8px in Figma.

Pixel units (px)

When you have design elements that should remain static even when users change their preferences, Spacing Tokens can be defined in pixel units.

For example 4px.

AUTO as a value

The plugin supports a string value of AUTO to match Figma's unique way of defining the CSS property of justify-content: space-between in their Auto Layout feature.

It's important that you write this value in all caps AUTO

Values in lowercase or titlecase will not work as expected.

Values that reference another Token

When trying to reference another Token as the Value for a Spacing Token, you will see

  • Tokens living in Token Sets that are currently active.

    • In the left menu on the plugin's Tokens page, a checkmark is visible next to the Token Set name.

  • Token Type is compatible:

    • The same = spacing

    • number

    • dimension

Multiple values

You can define the value of a Spacing Token to mimic the way multi-value spacing properties are written in CSS.

When you click to apply the Token Value (without right-clicking), the plugin will apply spacing based on the number of values in your token.

Single value - For example, 10px

  • Applies the value to the Gap property.

Two values - For example, 8px 64px

  • The first value is applied as padding to the top and bottom.

  • The second value is applied as padding to the right and left.

Three values - For example, 16px 8px 32px

  • The first value is applied as padding to the top.

  • The second value is applied as padding to the right and left.

  • The third value is applied as padding to the bottom.

Four values - For example, 2px 4px 8px 16px

  • The first value is applied as padding to the top.

  • The second value is applied as padding to the right.

  • The third value is applied as padding to the bottom.

  • The fourth value is applied as padding to the left.

You can also write multiple value Spacing Tokens with references. For example, {space.sm} {space.md}.

Figma does not support Variables with multiple values!

If you export your Tokens to Variables in Figma, multiple value Tokens will be skipped, as Figma only supports single values.


Apply Spacing Tokens

A Spacing Token defines the distance between layers of an auto-layout frame in Figma when the Token is applied.

You can apply a Spacing Token to all design properties at once, or each independently.

Select one or more auto-layout elements in Figma, right-click on the Spacing Token Name in the Plugin to its options.

Select your desired design property by clicking on it to apply the Tokens value instantly.


Transforming Tokens

When transforming Spacing Tokens, there are some specific configurations to be aware of.

The preprocessor in the SD-Transforms package will automatically convert the Tokens Studio specific Token Type of spacing to align with the DTCG Format Token Type of dimension.

Token Values entered as a number without a unit will be converted to a number with pixels as a unit.


Resources

Mentioned in this doc:

Community resources:

  • None yet!

Known issues and bugs

    • Exporting to variables when the Spacing Token value is AUTO creates a 0 value.

Requests, roadmap and changelog

If you click to apply this Token to an element without accessing the right-click Token menu, the value will be applied to the gap (space between) property if your Spacing Token has a single value. If it has multiple values, it will apply the values to the independent properties defined in the Tokens Value.

For independent styling per side, you can repeat the steps above and apply different Spacing Tokens to each position of the same design element. Or, you can modify your .

→

→

SD-Transforms -

Style Dictionary -

Design Tokens Community Group -

Design Tokens Community Group -

Tokens Studio Plugin GitHub -

AUTO Value is Created as '0' in Variables

W3C DTCG Spec - Unofficial Token Types -

→ Read the guide on Skipped Variables for more details.
SD-Transforms Read-Me Doc, Using the preprocessor
SD-Transforms Read-Me Doc, ts/size/px
Read Me
Read Me
W3C Draft
8.0 Types
Open issues for Token Type Spacing
#2916
Conversation Forum
More details above. ↑
Spacing Tokens to have multiple values
'official token type'
Dimension
Conversation forum on Unofficial Token Types is here.
detailed below↓
Page cover image
Creating a new Spacing Token in the Tokens Studio Plugin for Figma.
Cover

Spacing Tokens can be attached to Number Variables in Figma.

The right-click menu of a Sizing Token is open to reveal the design properties it can be applied to in Figma.
1

Gap

Apply the Token value to the space between child elements within an auto-layout frame.

2

All

Apply the Token value to padding on all sides of the parent container, and the space between child elements within an auto-layout frame.

3

Horizontal padding

Apply the Token value to the space between the border and child elements on the left and right sides an auto-layout frame.

4

Vertical padding

Apply the Token value to the space between the border and child elements on the top and bottom sides an auto-layout frame.

5

Row Gap

Apply the Token value to the space between rows of child elements in auto-layout frames set to wrap.

6

Top

Apply the Token value to padding on the highest side of an auto-layout frame on the X-axis only.

7

Right

Apply the Token value to padding on the right side of an auto-layout frame on the y-axis only.

8

Bottom

Apply the Token value to padding on the lowest side of an auto-layout frame on the X-axis only.

9

Left

Apply the Token value to padding on the left side of an auto-layout frame on the y-axis only.

Once a Token has been applied, it will remain attached until you manually remove it.

Rem Units act as a multiplier of the base font size, so when a user changes their preferences to a larger font size or uses a zoom feature in your product, elements defined in rem units will respond accordingly.

The value of 1rem can be configured in the .

plugin settings for Base Font Size

All Token Types that accept numeric values can use math equations to calculate their value in Tokens Studio.

Jump to the guide on Tokens with Math Values by selecting the card below to learn more.

Using Math in Token Values

However, like all Token Types, you can "force" a reference by manually entering the Token Name between curly brackets.

For example {token.name.here}

The value will show a broken reference until the originating Token Set is marked as enabled.

Jump to the guide on Token Values with References by selecting the card below to learn more.

Token Values with References

If you apply the Token to a frame before auto-layout is applied in Figma, you may have to remove and re-apply the Token after auto-layout has been enabled for the Token Value to apply as expected.

→

Read Figma's doc on Autolayout here

Engineers typically transform Tokens used in code with , which is tool-agnostic. Tokens coming from Tokens Studio require an additional step: , an npm package that prepares Tokens for Style Dictionary.

Style Dictionary
@Tokens-studio/sd-transforms

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